NEW ORLEANS (WGNO)- Demands for change are pouring in. Could that sway Louisiana lawmakers to change voting districts? That is why a Special Session is now underway at the Capitol.
Wednesday, February 2, 2022, is the first full day of the special session in Baton Rouge, and there’s some scrutiny on the process this year involving Civil Rights groups. They are demanding more representation. The groups are making it clear that they want to see more representation where the Black populations are.
State lawmakers are working on redrawing the congressional and state voting district but, they have different ideas of how the maps should look. Before anything can be changed, the ideas have to be brought up during a special session when all the members are there. The first public debate on the matter will be later Wednesday in the Senate. Republicans are proposing maps that are kept districts the same. The maps must be approved by the Governor and then by the courts if there are lawsuits.
“There are people that are guessing. I’ve heard people talking about their new district, but I’m pretty sure nobody knows for sure, except maybe the speaker,” shared State Rep. Larry Bagley, R-Stonewall.
“A lot of discussions we wanted to have with members would just be able to have today for the very first time because until we call the session, we can’t get them all there,” said State Rep. Tanner Magee, R-Houma.
Some lawmakers are saying their counterparts don’t know what the current map looks like or what the newly proposed one looks like either.
So let’s take a look.
(Right Map 2: Courtesy of State Sen. Cleo Fields, D-Baton Rouge)
MAP 1: Shows the current configuration of Louisiana’s Congressional Districts. Lawmakers who are for redistricting want to make changes to northeast Louisiana.
MAP 2: Shows one version of Democratic proposals to shrink the width of the 5th District, now represented by Republican Rep. Julia Letlow, and extend it down to Baton Rouge to create what would likely be a second Majority-Minority District.
Keep in mind, the special session must end by 6:00 P.M. on February 20, 2022.